Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is directed toward an enhanced reel mixer drive system and method.
Description of the Related Art
The art continues to be developed with the aim of improving reliability and efficiency, maximizing operational uptime and minimizing maintenance and repair costs of reel mixers.
Current animal feed mixer drive systems are driven by sprockets and chains. FIG. 1 describes an example of a current design of a reel mixer drive system for mixing animal feed inside a unit structure 1, the reel mixer drive system comprising a bottom output shaft 12, a first auger sprocket 8, a second auger sprocket 10, a reel mixer sprocket 6, a first chain 14, a second chain 16, and a third chain 18. The system is connected to the back of the unit structure 1. It is also known in the art to use a gearbox in place of the bottom output shaft 12 to drive the reel mixer sprocket 6 directly via a chain.
Rotational power is transferred from the bottom output shaft 12 connected to the first chain 14. The first chain 14 is connected to the second auger sprocket 10. The first auger sprocket 8 is connected to the second auger sprocket 10 by the second chain 16. The first auger sprocket 8 is connected to the reel mixer sprocket 6 by a third chain 18.
Due to the ratio between the sprockets and augers in this arrangement, a reel mixer 5 is driven at a very low speed relative to the input speed of the bottom output shaft 12. In one case, the ratio is approximately 1:150, and has a proportionately high level of torque. If obstructions occur the failure of at least one of the chains is relied upon for protection against major structural damage of mixing components.
FIG. 2 describes a perspective side projection of current art with the reel mixer sprocket 6, a rear enclosure, and a side panel removed to show mixing components including a first auger 26, a second auger 28, a reel mixing tool 38, and a rear bearing 25 of the reel mixer sprocket 6. The first auger 26 moves material in a rear to front direction relative to the unit to discharge material and the second auger 28 moves material in a front to rear direction to evenly distribute material and keep it level within the unit structure 1. The rotational axes of the first auger 26, the second auger 28, and the reel mixing tool 38 are substantially parallel, with the first auger 26 disposed substantially vertically below the second auger 28, and the reel mixing tool 38 disposed adjacent to the first auger 26 and the second auger 8.
Also common to current reel mixers 5, a reel mixing tool 38 is supported by a front bearing 24 (note: the front bearing 24 cannot be seen in these images as it is on the outside of the front panel) connected to the front panel of the unit structure 1, and supported on the rear end of the unit structure 1 by the rear bearing 25 mounted to the rear panel 22 of the unit structure 1.
One example of a reel mixing tool is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,646,967, which is incorporated by reference. The front bearing 24 and the rear bearing 25 are separate components from the sprockets utilized to transmit rotational power. The interior surface of the rear panel 22 is also one relatively continuous flat surface due to the current configuration of the standard drive. These are all common features that current designs of reel mixers 5 incorporate that are no longer necessary due to the redesign detailed in the following description.
The chains and sprockets are typically housed in an enclosed structure that may contain some oil to lubricate the chains. This structure is removed for clarity.
FIG. 3 describes the positions of the first auger 26 and the second auger 28 relative to each other. A disadvantage of the chain drive system is the fixed and interconnected relationship between the various sprockets and chains. If one mixer, auger, sprocket, or chain becomes locked or jammed during operation, the components connected to that mixer, auger, sprocket or chain are vulnerable to catastrophic failure, particularly given the high torque of the relatively large sprockets. Additionally, the use of large sprockets for the gear reduction from the higher speed of the output gearbox to the lower speeds of the augers and the reel mixer amplify the effective torque of the bottom output shaft 12 at key points in the system, exacerbating vulnerability.